Claude Lorrain

Claude Lorrain was born in 1600 in the Duchy of Lorraine, in what is now France, and spent most of his career in Rome. He became one of the greatest landscape painters of the Baroque era. Lorrain is best known for idealized landscapes that blend nature, classical architecture, and gentle human activity. His work reflects a poetic vision of the countryside rather than a literal depiction of real places.

Light plays a central role in his paintings, often suggesting dawn or sunset with soft, atmospheric effects. Claude carefully balanced composition to guide the viewer’s eye through space and depth. His landscapes were highly valued by collectors and patrons across Europe. Many of his works include mythological or biblical figures placed harmoniously within nature. Claude Lorrain died in 1682. His influence shaped European landscape painting for generations, particularly in England and France.